Many attempts have been made in the art to improve upon gear selection in a vehicle. There is a growing trend in the industry to move away from mechanical shifting mechanisms, particularly in automotive applications. The mechanical shifting mechanisms require the user/driver to exert a significant amount of force on a gear shift stick or knob, to change gears. Additionally, the mechanical mechanisms are limited as to where the mechanism can be placed within the vehicle, i.e. in a center console or on the floor of the vehicle. Further, most mechanical mechanisms require that a large hole be made through the floor of the vehicle to physically couple the shifting mechanism to the transmission of the vehicle, this may create sealing and noise problems for the vehicle manufacturers.
One solution that is gaining popularity are electronic shift systems, also known as shift-by-wire. The electronic shift systems overcome many of the disadvantages of the mechanical mechanisms. The electronic systems are typically smaller and modular, thereby allowing for greater flexibility of placement in the vehicle, such as on the dashboard, on the steering column, and of course within the center console. Additionally, there is no need for a direct, physical connection to the transmission, eliminating the large hole that was previously needed.
Vehicle manufactures have attempted to replicate the “feeling” of shifting the mechanical mechanisms by creating devices that give the user/driver a tactile feedback when making the gear selection. Many of these tactile feedback devices are integrated into devices that appear similar in form to the previously used gear shift sticks or knobs. Unfortunately, these devices remain bulky and continue limit the placement of the shifting mechanisms in the vehicle. Therefore there remains an opportunity in the art for an improved shifting mechanism that provides a tactile feedback to the user/driver.